acoustic rhinometry
acoustic rhinometry
A simple reproducible technique for measuring nasal airflow, which is used to identify fixed lesions—e.g., septal deviations—or alterations in cross-sectional areas induced by allergens or drugs.Method
A spark generator produces an acoustic click, which travels past a microphone and is directed through the nasal passages via a conduit; the click is reflected back from the various nasal contours and received by the microphone. A computer program analyses the direct and reflected sounds, producing a graph of the cross-sectional area of the nasal passage from the vestibule to the nasopharynx.